A Brief History of Our Parish

Introduction Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction On the 100th anniversary of Saint Gregory Colonial America the Great Roman , this Vicar-Apostolic of the London commemorative book offers witness to District from 1607 to 1783 how belief can be integrated with our Mission Church of North America surroundings, how worship proclaims the Superior of the Mission John Carroll divine when past and present, tradition (1784–1789) and creativity are combined. This book Diocese of Baltimore celebrates the centennial of our parish and (1789–1808) describes our place within the history of the Diocese of Town of Harrison, the Church of New York, (1808 – 1850) and the Universal Church. This is the story Archdiocese of New York of the roots and beginnings; the history of (established 1850) our parish community. It contains a brief biography of our patron, Saint Gregory Revolutionary War of Independence, the Great, historical images and Catholics in North America were served by photographs providing a beautiful record the Vicar-Apostolic of the London District in of stained glass, murals, statues, and England. During the time of the American church architecture. Revolution, the Catholic role in the English colonies was minimal, for they numbered The parishioners of St. Gregory’s are no more than one percent of the entire members of the Catholic Church, deeply population. The minority Catholics generally rooted in Sacred Scripture and Tradition. supported the cause of independence and The history of St. Gregory’s Church exemplifies fought in the revolutionary army. During the the idea that working toward fulfillment of Revolutionary War, anti-Catholic bigotry, which that mission is the responsibility of all had been pervasive throughout the colonial members of the Church. We hope that period, virtually disappeared for the moment. this commemorative book will deepen your understanding and appreciation of In 1783, when Great Britain admitted the parish of St. Gregory the Great. defeat and formally recognized the independence of the , Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction subordination to an English bishop was The broad historical context in which the neither practical nor desirable. The Parish was founded can be described by American priests, who numbered no more summarizing the ecclesiastical jurisdiction than two-dozen, petitioned the of the developing Church in New York. to appoint one of them as their superior, During the colonial period from 1607 to the not a bishop, for fear that the appointment 8 would provoke a resurgence of imprisonment of the Pope in 1810, pre-revolutionary anti-Catholic bigotry. prevented Bishop Concanen from In 1784, appointed John Carroll reaching America. In June 1810, Bishop as Superior of the Mission Church in North Concanen died suddenly in Naples after America, the canonical equivalent of making one last futile attempt to book a prefect apostolic. Eventually, the |passage to America. Thus, New York American clergy came to the conclusion never saw its first bishop. that the Church in the United States For the next four years Pope Pius VII needed an American Catholic bishop. remained a prisoner of Napoleon and The Holy Father agreed and allowed the refused to appoint any new bishops American clergy to choose one of their until he was released. From 1810 to 1815, own for the post. The priests voted for therefore, the Diocese of New York was Carroll by a wide margin and Rome approved the nomination. Bishops of the Archdiocese of New York (established 1808) On November 6, 1789, John Carroll was appointed Bishop of Baltimore. His diocese Bishop Richard Luke Concanen 1808 – 1810 was coterminous with the country, which Bishop meant that, in effect, John Carroll of 1815 - 1825 Baltimore was really New York’s first bishop. Bishop During the nineteen years that Carroll was 1826 - 1837 the country’s sole ordinary (1789-1808), the Archbishop John Joseph Hughes whole state of New York could boast of only 1837 - 1864 Cardinal John McCloskey two parishes, St. Peter’s Church in New York 1864 - 1885 City and St. Mary’s in Albany. Archbishop On April 8, 1808, John Carroll was 1885 - 1902 Cardinal John Farley made the Archbishop of Baltimore, and 1902 - 1918 his original diocese was divided into four Cardinal Patrick Hayes suffragan sees, one of which was the 1919 - 1938 Diocese of New York. Pope Pius VII Cardinal Francis J. Spellman accepted Carroll’s nominees for Boston, 1939 - 1968 Philadelphia, and Bardstown. In the case Cardinal 1968 - 1983 of New York, however, the Pope appointed Cardinal John Joseph O’Connor as the first Bishop of New York Richard Luke 1984 – 2000 Concanen, a sixty-one year old Irish Cardinal Edward M. Egan Dominican who had lived in Rome since 2000 – 2009 1765. A series of obstacles, principally the Archbishop Timothy J. Dolan naval war between France and England 2009 – Present and Napoleon’s abduction and 9 deliberately left vacant. Fortunately, was largely an immigrant Church made Concanen had authorized Carroll to up of waves of Irish, German, and French appoint a in New York. Catholics. Most of his flock consisted of Carroll picked a Jesuit, Anthony poor immigrants with little money to spare Kohlmann. Kohlmann was responsible for for the building of the much-needed the erection of ’s second new churches. Vocations to the Catholic Church, St. Patrick’s Old priesthood were rare. He was forced to Cathedral, at Prince and Mott Streets. For rely entirely on priests from , about the first seven years of the Diocese of eighteen of whom were working in the New York, Kohlmann and three other diocese at the time of his death in 1825. Jesuits engaged in parochial ministry. When Bishop Connolly died on February 6, 1825, the diocese was left unfilled for In the summer of 1815, the Pope twenty-one months. Responsibility for appointed another Bishop, an elderly administrating the vacant see fell to Irish Dominican, John Connolly, who was Connolly’s vicar general, Father John living in Rome. Bishop Connolly arrived in Power, a popular, energetic and New York in November 1815, weeks ambitious Irish-born cleric. before John Carroll of Baltimore died. He inherited a chaotic missionary diocese The Roots of of 55,000 square miles. The diocese Saint Gregory’s Parish consisted of three churches, two in New York City and one in Albany, and six What is now Harrison and Rye was priests. Connolly’s ten years as bishop purchased from the indigenous people in coincided with the construction of the 1660 by Peter Disbrow, Thomas Stedwell, Erie Canal, which was begun in 1817 and John Coe of Greenwich, Connecticut. and completed in 1825. This connected It was a tract of land situated above the Great Lakes with the Atlantic and Westchester Path, between Blind Brook, confirmed New York City’s reputation as once called Mockquams River, and the premier East Coast port. The port of extended as far north as Rye Pond. Later, New York was already handling almost an additional purchase was made. The half of the country’s imports and a third owners, however, made no effort to of its exports. With the completion of the improve this land and it remained vacant Erie Canal, the growth of New York and uncultivated. Then, along came broke all previous records. By 1830 the John Harrison, a Quaker from Boston. population of the city was 200,000. In 1695, John Harrison bought the land During the next thirty years it quadrupled, from native-Americans, who apparently and by 1860 New York City contained had no scruples about selling the same more people than Baltimore, Philadelphia piece of property twice, and even three and Boston combined. times over. This same piece of land was Bishop Connolly’s New York diocese previously sold to the Disbrow group. The 10 purchase consisted of a strip of territory Church for a long time. It struggled to nine miles long, and three miles wide, grow in the English colonies, whose between the Blind Brook and Mamaroneck members disliked “papists”, or Catholics. Rivers. As you would expect, the The Church in America began to flourish purchase incensed the Puritan owners when the Quebec Act in Canada and of the property. They claimed it belonged the Constitution in the United States to them, and that it was part of the whole guaranteed religious freedom. tract, which they called Rye. Naturally The United States was still a young they raised a stiff protest, threatened to mission country in 1789, when John Carroll “secede” from the then Province of New was appointed its first bishop. Bishop York, and asked to be annexed to Carroll’s diocese was the entire country, Connecticut. Consequently, Harrison’s which contained about 25,000 Catholics purchase was surveyed by order of and 24 priests. He administered it for 26 Colonel Fletcher, Governor of New York, years. Under his direction, the first Catholic and a patent was granted by the British College, Georgetown, was opened and Government to John Harrison. Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton began the first The inhabitants of Rye in general, siding Catholic parish school. with Disbrow and his associates, all of From the Civil War to the 1900s, the Church whom were among the original settlers, in America was concerned mostly with caring and the son and heir of one of them, for Catholic immigrants who poured into this opposed the grant. They did not join country. The Church supported the building forces, however, but presented two of schools, parishes, hospitals, orphanages, separate claims. The British ruling Council and homes for those who were aged and rejected both, and confirmed Harrison’s homeless. Little by little, the Church rooted title. The exasperated losers “seceded” itself in this continent. Today the Church in 1697. But the King’s order in Council in the United States and Canada sends placed them back again within the missionaries to other lands. It is concerned jurisdiction of the Province of New York. about evangelization and the unselfish Rye has been in New York ever since. care of others. Harrison has been Harrison from the day of its purchase. On March 7th, 1788 Harrison By the 1850s, there was a small was organized as a separate township. scattered group of Catholics in the But it was many years before Harrison community of Harrison. Their spiritual had a Catholic Church of its own. needs were served by Father Tom McLoughlin, of the Church of the After difficult beginnings, the Church in Blessed Sacrament in New Rochelle. North America flourished when freedom of Father McLoughlin’s domain in those religion was granted. The Catholic Church days was not constrained by municipal in America remained a growing pioneer boundaries. Roughly, it extended from 11 Mount Vernon, New York, to Stamford, the 1890s when Harrison Catholics were Connecticut; with Long Island Sound on served by priests from New Rochelle, the right, and with the hills and plains of Mamaroneck, and Rye. Mass was said Westchester, stretching to the Hudson River, in the old wood frame fire-house, which, on the left. to the amusement of wits in New York papers burned down in 1921. But as Father Tom McLoughlin rode a horse Harrison grew, and the number of through all seasons, weather conditions, Catholics increased, it became more and travel difficulties to bring spiritual solace and more apparent that Harrison and comfort to that small proportion of should have a Mission Church of its own Harrison’s thirteen hundred or so people, ... and so it happened. who occupied its approximately twenty seven square miles of territory. Isolated The Mission Church territory it was, for although the New York One hundred twelve years after the es- Haven and Hartford Railroad had pushed its tablishment of the Town of Harrison, on way through it about six years before, it was March 7, 1900, the Archbishop of New not until 1870 that Harrison could boast of its York, Michael A. Corrigan, with his Vicar own railroad station. Therefore, horse-back General, John M. Farley, who was the best mode of individual was to succeed him as Archbishop, transportation for Father McLoughlin. executed the certificate of Incorporation The Catholics of Harrison, one of the oldest for the Roman Catholic Church of St. communities in America, were dependent Gregory the Great in Harrison, New York. for years upon the services of an itinerant With the Archbishop on that occasion priest, with no church of their own. They were Father Patrick Mee, pastor of the dreamed that some day this would be Church of the Resurrection in Rye, who changed; but that day was a long way off. was to serve as the Rector of the new The roots of the parish reach back to church, Mr. Thomas F. Dolye and Mr. Richard Harris, the first trustees.

It happened through the charitable zeal of an anonymous layman who had deposited a substantial sum of money in the hands of Father Martin Dowling of Port Chester. The money was to be used for the building of small churches in the poor missions of Westchester County. At Father Dowling’s death, this money was placed in the care of Father James Barry, Pastor of the Church of the Resurrection in Rye. Father Barry, recognizing Father Dowling’s Harrison firehouse on Fremont Street 12 Priests from Mamaroneck and Rye continued to serve the new Mission Church of Saint Gregory until April 30, 1911, when its status changed and the Parish of St. Gregory the Great was established. A Parish is Born

Early in 1911, Cardinal Farley appointed the Rev. Edward F. O’Sullivan the first pastor of the new parish. Father O’Sullivan had formerly been an assistant in the Church of the Blessed Sacrament in New Rochelle and later, pastor of St. Ann’s Church, Sparkill, New York. Certificate of Incorporation He brought to wishes, began and finished in 1902 the his new task erection of a church in Harrison, which great zeal and was dedicated December 21, 1902, as a capacity for the Church of St. Gregory the Great. hard work. He This first church was built on a plot did not know it, of land on Halstead Avenue and but tragedy Featherbed Lane. The latter receiving was in his fu- its picturesque title, according to some ture. Not long legends, from the way snow drifted high after coming to in the winter at its dead end, and which Harrison, a looked like a featherbed. Its name was malignant ill- later changed to Summer Street, and still ness struck him. Rev. Edward F. O’Sullivan First Pastor later to its present day, Broadway. He said nothing of this illness until it could no longer be concealed, and then he had to take to his bed.

In 1915 those closest to him knew he could not recover; that he would never get out of his bed again. But because Father O’Sullivan had much of the pioneering spirit of Father Tom McLoughlin, he would leave that bed, once more, on the night of June 6, before going to his eternal reward. First Church of St. Gregory the Great 1902-1934 The Fire 13 Pastors of St. Gregory the Great Church It was shortly after midnight. Father (established 1911) O’Sullivan had been painfully trying Father Edward F. O’Sullivan to sleep. Suddenly the Harrison fire 1911 - 1915 signal split the silence of the night. Father James Hughes 1915 – 1917 Mechanically Father O’Sullivan Father Patrick Carey counted the toll. It was his church! 1917 - 1918 Father William S. Prunty He heard the sound of the 1918 - 1951 approaching fire apparatus, the sirens, Bishop Edward Dargin 1951 - 1971 and the thunder of horse’s hooves. He Monsignor Vincent Lonergan feared the whole church was doomed. 1971 - 1980 Monsignor Joseph J. Raimondo One thought came to him … the Sacred 1980 - 1989 Host in the Tabernacle. Clutching a Monsignor Daniel V. Flynn 1989 - 2001 bath-robe, ill though he was, he Monsignor Francis J. McAree struggled out of bed. Painfully, every step 2001 - Present agony, he made his way to the Sanctuary burlap. Father Hughes planned that some of the burning church. There, mindless day, when his health was better he would of the flames and smoke, he opened the have the whole interior renovated. But Tabernacle door, rescued the Host, the day never came for him, for on stumbled with it to a place of safety. January 14, 1917, he was called to the He would accept no congratulations on arms of his Eternal Father. his deed, content only that, thanks to the valiant work of the Volunteer Fire Tragedy Takes It’s Toll Department of Harrison, his church had Nor did it come during the administration not burned to the ground. Less than of the Rev. Patrick Carey, who succeeded four months later, on October 22, 1915, Father Hughes. Shortly after his arrival in Father O’Sullivan was dead. 1917, Father Carey was appointed as a Father O’Sullivan was succeeded by U.S. Army the Rev. James Hughes who also came Chaplain. He from the Church of the Blessed Sacrament was sent from in New Rochelle. Father Hughes took over the parish to a parish that mourned a beloved pastor. Hot Springs, He took over a church, the interior of Arizona, where which had been badly destroyed. Swift he died in an temporary repairs had been made, but army camp everyone knew they were make-shift. on April 10, The scarred ceiling and the badly burned 1918. Tragedy was still taking Sanctuary were covered with strips of Rev. Patrick Carey a toll. 3rd Pastor 14 Subsequently, the Rev. William S. Prunty was so. And then, even as Father Tom was made Pastor of the Church of Saint McLoughlin had set out in a winter storm Gregory the Great by Cardinal Farley. that long-ago day to serve God and the Father Prunty arrived in Harrison March people of Harrison, so did he. He set about 24, 1918. having the little Gothic Church renovated and restored. He called in workmen. Like Fathers Hughes and Carey, He gave orders. He was here, and there, Father Prunty came to a bereaved and everywhere. The work went on parish and a gutted church. He came steadily. In an incredibly short time it was with a great knowledge of languages, finished. Less than seven months from the and a great time Father Prunty had become pastor, understanding of the Church of Saint Gregory the Great people. These had been completely restored. Its interior qualities were of was a perfect replica of a European invaluable worth country church of the fifteenth century, in a community before Columbus came to America. where there were many A high Rood screen stood between nationalities, the body of the church and the Sanctuary. each with their The decorations were medieval. The entire own languages. Rev. William S. Prunty He came with 4th Pastor a deeply ingrained tradition that had marked the works of priests who had served Harrison from the earliest days. He came with humility and a deep love of beauty. He believed that the Temple of God, no matter how small, no matter how obscure, should be a temple of sanctity and beauty unmarred by any scar that man could cause. A verse he often quoted is, “Lord I have loved the beauty of Thy House and the place where Thy Glory dwelleth.”

The burlap coverings of the burned portions of St. Gregory’s Church pained him, as he knew they must be of pain to the Divine Master. It hurt him that all this High Rood Screen in First Church 15 renovation was devotional and beautiful, the Great stood in the way. It would and the subject of much praise. People have to be torn down. Father Prunty, came from far and near to admire its whose public spirit has always been simple loveliness. Aside from that, it had a one of his outstanding qualities, agreed. particularly warm spot in the hearts of the But it was a bitter pill not only for him to people of Harrison. Much of the exterior swallow, but for the congregation, stone was obtained from neighborhood who loved their little church. There was quarries. The cost of renovating the little nothing, however, that could be done. church was considerable. However by The road had to be widened. And so 1920, through Father Prunty’s own tireless the authentic replica of a European efforts, the loyalty and generosity of the Fifteenth Century country church was laity, and insurance compensation on the razed on July 2, 1934. What hurt some loss from the fire, Father Prunty was able of the older members of the parish, as to announce to his parishioners that this much as anything else, was the thought amount had been paid in full. of what would happen to the stones in the old building, some of which had Disappointment been quarried by their own hands.

Then, by rights, there should have “We are going to build a new been fair weather ahead. For a while church,” Father Prunty assured them. there was. But in 1932, a blow fell. “And in the new church those stones will Westchester County authorities decided be used.” They were comforted. And that Halstead Avenue would have to be Father Prunty kept his promise. During widened. The Church of Saint Gregory July 1934 the foundations of the new

Foundation construction for the second church, 1934 16 Lower Church from Broadway and Fremont, 1934

Lower Church from Halstead Avenue, 1934

Construction for the second church, 1934

17 Rectory and Church front from Halstead Avenue, 1934 church were begun using the stones services were conducted in the Harrison from the original church. Work on American Legion Hall, the use of which the building proceeded as rapidly as was donated to Father Prunty and the possible, and as far as the finances of parish by Harrison’s Town Government. the parish could prudently allow. In October 1935, the lower church Father Prunty was a man of was blessed by Bishop Stephen considerable wit and good humor. Donahue, representing Cardinal Hayes. When speaking to his parishioners about Now, Catholic residents of Harrison could financial matters he would remind them attend their own religious services. They of the tradition of the Indians hunting buf- could go to Mass on Sundays, holy days, falo. He observed that if the Indians and and some, every day. As the parish buffalo could get off the pennies and developed, the Rev. Raymond A. nickels he was getting in the collections; O’Connor, and the Rev. Joseph C. Krug it would be extremely difficult to get were assigned to assist Father Prunty at across Halstead Avenue. Saint Gregory’s Church. Every Monday Plans for the new church called for an the congregation would crowd into the upper and lower church of Romanesque lower church to attend the Novena to architecture with accommodations for Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal future growth. However, in 1934 Father conducted by Father Prunty’s two able Prunty believed that the construction of assistants. Still, they looked forward to the upper church should be deferred to the day when the upper church would a later day, when sufficient funds had be completed. This would be a new been raised for the purpose. temple to the greater glory of God.

From July 1934 to the last Sunday in Saint Gregory’s Church has been May 1935, when, to the rejoicing of the blessed with many dedicated priests who parish, the lower church was ready, ably assisted the pastor and people.

Lower church functions 1935-1961 18 Parochial Vicars of the Westchester Country Club and its St. Gregory the Great Church environs. The people living within those Rev. Joseph C. Krug 1930 – 1938 limits, as well as elsewhere, realized that Rev. Raymond A. O’Connor 1933 – 1942 the need of a completed church in Rev. Charles J.Vecchini 1940 – 1941 Harrison was more urgent than ever Rev. J. D’Ascoli 1942 before. Their hope was not denied Rev. Leo Laffin 1942 – 1964 them. Father Prunty had the spirit and Rev. J. J. Burris 1942 – 1943 determination of the old pioneer priests. Rev. Gerard Green 1943 – 1957 He and the people of Harrison did not Rev. John Frawley 1945 – 1946 want to fail old Father Tom McLoughlin. Rev. Peter E. McNulty 1946 – 1956 Rev. Leonard DiFalco 1954 – 1971 Father Krug and Father O’Connor left Rev. John J. Cunniffe 1956 – 1963 Saint Gregory’s, the former assigned to Rev. William E. Williams 1964 – 1985 the new Archbishop Stepinac High Rev. Edward A. McKaharay 1964 – 1969 School in White Plains, and the latter Rev. Joseph G. Sexton 1971 – 1982 entering the Navy as a Chaplain. Their Rev. Joseph Fernandez, S.D.B. 1980 – 1981 posts were taken by Fathers Laffin and Rev. George C. Lodi 1982 – 1986 McNulty. Father Prunty was not to see Rev. Richard Carbo 1982 his dream of the completion of the Rev. Lawrence V. McDonnell, C.S.P. 1983 – 1984 Rev.Vincent T. Taglienti 1985 – 1987 upper church realized. He died in 1951. Rev. Joseph Piedmont, OFM 1987 Cardinal Spellman appointed Rev. Lawrence M. Paolicelli 1987 – 1992 Monsignor Edward Dargin as his Rev. Thomas P. Kiely 1991 – 1995 successor. Soon after his installation as Rev. Joseph V. Mathew, CMI 1991 – 1995 (India) pastor, Monsignor Dargin started a Rev. Guy Vinci 1995 – 2001 fund-raising project to build a parish Rev. Philip J. Gagliano 1996 – 1997 Rev. Paul John 1997 – 2002, 2007 – Present (India) school and convent. It was not until 1961 Rev. Maria Antony 2002 – 2007 (India) that the upper church became a reality. Rev. Tomislav Mlakic 2006 – 2010 (Bosnia) The church located on Halstead Rev. James B. Teague 2009 – Present Avenue was built in two phases. From Rev. John Edison 2010 – Present (India) 1934 to 1961, Mass and the sacraments were conducted in the lower church. The Dream In 1961 the upper church was completed and the lower church used The day was a long time in coming. for parish council meetings, assemblies, For the limits of the parish included all and special parish functions. The lower the town of Harrison as far as the church was again used in 2006 during Hutchinson River Parkway. It extended the upper church renovation. from the homes of the poor to the more imposing residences that comprise

19 Bishop Edward Dargin 5th Pastor

Upper church consttruction for the second church, 1959 20 Completed church present day.

In between the construction of the upper of Mount Carmel in . Pierluigi and and lower churches, the parish school was his wife went to the Rectory and met Father built under the guidance of Monsignor Dargin. Laffin who took them to the Lower Church In the same year, Monsignor Dargin was and showed them the beautiful organ elevated to the office of Bishop by Cardinal which was a Moller Company organ with Spellman. Father Leonard DiFalco was then two manuels. For a choir organ, it is a top assigned to Saint Gregory’s. Father Cunniffe notch organ with great possibilities. The came on the staff in 1956 and served until Professor played with full life. Very much 1962, when he was assigned to duty in the impressed, Father Laffin asked him, “How Army as Chaplain. can I call you? I will call you “Professor.” The name stayed on. Father Laffin then In 1959, Pierluigi Sampietro was said “You have to see the bishop.” recommended by Bishop Joseph Pernicone to Bishop Edward Dargin for the position of The Professor recalls that Bishop Dargin organist and choir director at Saint Gregory’s. said, “You are very well recommended. At that time, Professor Sampietro was organist Do you intend to stay here or be here for and choir director of the church of Our Lady a couple of months and move like a

21 and English. The Professor was the first to introduce a few pieces in Gregorian chant. In pre-Vatican II days, funeral masses typically had Gregorian music which is an option even today despite the change over to mostly English hymns. The choir also sings Palaestrina, which is renaissance music. The Professor considers Saint Gregory’s Choir to be one of the best in New York State.

A School and Convent

The parish school located at Broadway Choir loft and organ and Harrison Avenue was built in 1953. gypsy, as musicians are? If you intend to Sister Josita of the Sisters of Charity served stay here, I intend to put up a new as the first Principal. The Sisters who served organ.” Agreement was reached and as Principals of the school following Sister St. Gregory’s Church had a new organist Josita were: Sisters Perpetua, Thomas, and choir director. True to his word, the Amy, and Delores. The school opened Professor and his wife stayed in Harrison. with a kindergarten, first grade, and A new Moller Company full organ was second grade classes. Eventually, the built in 1961 for the upper Church with right school developed into a kindergarten and left pipes and three manuels. There through eighth grade elementary school. was a proposal to put bells in the organ but Those initial second graders became the cost was so exorbitant that the project the first graduating class in 1959. was abandoned. In those days, a church organ would cost $45,000 to $50,000. The present estimate for replacement cost may be in the range of $300,000 to $500,000.

The choir initially consisted of 5 or 6 people. For the most part, parishioners were accustomed to listen to church music. The Professor struggled to recruit, encourage, and train people to sing. Over the years choir membership has ranged from 20 to 60 members. There are women and men sopranos, altos,

tenors, and bass. The choir sings in Latin The convent on Fremont Street 22 The convent on Fremont Street was enrolled in the religious education pro- dedicated in 1954 and served as a home gram for parish children attending local to the Sisters of Charity until 1981 when the public schools. In 1987, Sister Mary John administration of the school was passed resigned to accept another assignment to the Ursuline sisters of Tildonk. Following and Ms. Maria Gaudelli, a teacher at the transition, the convent was no longer Saint Gregory’s school, was appointed used for housing the sisters. The former Principal. In June 1995, Ms. Gaudelli left convent served as the parish’s religious the position and Debra A. Trignani was education center, RCIA, bible study and appointed Principal. meeting rooms for various parish ministries. For many years the parish school and In September 1981, the Sisters of convent were an integral part of community Charity transferred the responsibility for life. The children received excellent the school to the Ursuline Sisters. Sister academic training along with a solid Mary John O’Rourke assumed the post foundation in the faith and their Catholic of Principal. Sisters Eileen Gallagher and heritage. Many students went on to Virginia Greaves, also Ursuline Sisters, successfully graduate from various parochial arrived with her to care for the children high schools in the Sound Shore Area.

“Preach the Gospel daily … use words if necessary.” ~ St. Gregory the Great, 585 A.D.

School of Saint Gregory the Great on Broadway, 1953 23 The Cardinal Cooke then The Second Vatican Council met in appointed four sessions between 1962 and 1965. Monsignor Through a number of documents, such as Joseph J. the Constitution on the Church in the Raimondo Modern World, the Council emphasized the as pastor. strong connection between the Church Monsignor and the social concerns of the world. Raimondo Catholics who were shaken and confused previously by changes in the Church did not need to served as an fear. The Church of today is the Church of Army Chaplain Rev. Msgr. Vincent Lonergan 6th Pastor the first century, graced with the wisdom in World War II of 2,000 years. Although the Church has and was pastor of St. Clare of Assisi in the changed over the centuries, everything Bronx at the time of appointment. Serving central to the faith has remained constant. as Saint Gregory’s first Italian-American The Church meets the challenge of the pastor, Monsignor Raimondo lost no time in modern world. Saint Paul summed up continuing the efforts of the former pastor in this idea with the following: putting into action the spirit of the Second Vatican Council. I have become all things to all, to save at least some. All this I do for the sake of the Updating the liturgy became his first gospel, so that I too may have a share in it. concern. After weeks of orientation on the ~ 1 Corinthians 9:22-23 need to bring the people closer to the priests in the celebration of the Eucharist, In the years following the Council, St. the main altar was moved closer to the Gregory’s parishioners would observe congregation and some of the altar rail some visible changes that involved the was removed to make easier access for new liturgy of the Mass and new Communion. arrangement of the sanctuary. The chapel of These changes developed over a period the Sacred of time as the decisions of Vatican II Heart became began to be implemented throughout the altar of the Archdiocese of New York. reservation. Bishop Dargin retired in 1971 and The Baptistry was succeeded by Monsignor Vincent near the rear of Lonergan, a former chaplain in the the church was U.S. Navy. Monsignor Lonergan died converted into suddenly in February 1980. a room of Rev. Msgr. Joseph J. Raimondo 7th Pastor 24 Reconciliation for face-to-face confession. challenge of making major repairs to the The Baptismal Font was moved to the front parish physical plant. Suddenly, everything of the church near the main altar. was breaking down or wearing out. A series of crises arose involving the need to replace To increase lay participation in the or repair heating units, roofs, lighting, church growth of the parish, a Parish Council was organ, the school roof and parking lot. formed under Monsignor Raimondo’s These problems exacerbated an already leadership. After two years of study and difficult trend. The parish was operating at orientation, extraordinary ministers of the near deficit levels. It was surviving by Eucharist and lectors were established. dipping into a small contingency fund, In Recent which quickly ran out. Funds for these Years emerging and necessary repairs were In 1989, made available through the generosity of Monsignor Saint Gregory’s parishioners during the Raimondo successful Parish Campaign of 1992. With reached the the infusion of much needed funds from mandatory the pledge campaign, the highest priority retirement age infrastructure repairs were made to the and Cardinal church, rectory, school, and convent. O’Connor However, the financial outlook of the parish appointed continued to trend in the wrong direction. Monsignor Rev. Msgr. Daniel V. Flynn Increases in energy costs and operating 8th Pastor Daniel V. Flynn expenses continued to outpace income. as Pastor. Previously, Monsignor Flynn Meanwhile, building components continued served as a Professor for 23 years at to reach the normal end of useful life. St. Joseph’s Seminary in Yonkers. He held Monsignor Francis J. McAree, the position of Academic Dean when he succeeded left the seminary for his assignment as Monsignor Flynn Pastor of Saint John the Baptist Church upon his in Yonkers. retirement In his new duties at St. Gregory’s in 2001. Church, Monsignor Flynn was able to rely Monsignor on Monsignor Raimondo who stayed on McAree was as Senior Priest for several years before formerly the Rector at his death in 2006. St. Joseph’s In his third year at St. Gregory’s, Seminary in

Monsignor Flynn was faced with the Yonkers. Rev. Msgr. Francis J. McAree 9th Pastor 25 He too benefited from the experience and Similarly, the former convent has been assistance of Monsignor Raimondo and rededicated as a Parish House for the Monsignor Flynn who both stayed on as administrative needs of the Church. The Senior Priests. Parish House continues to house RCIA, adult bible study, and provides meeting Again, financial challenges continued space for various parish ministries. to mount. Due to low enrollment and increased operating costs, the parish school was causing the parish to seek loans from the Archdiocese in order to keep the school open. Every effort was made to increase school funding and enrollment. Everyone recognized that the school had been a valuable part of parish life for many years. Families who sent their children to St. Gregory’s School sacrificed a great deal to help their children receive a quality education in the Catholic tradition. These same families were actively involved in every aspect of parish life. In recognition of economic realities, and after a great deal of anguish, Monsignor McAree, in conjunction with the Archdiocese, had no choice but to close the school. The last graduating class received their diplomas in 2002.

The school building has been rededicated as a Parish Center for an expanded religious education program, a family catechesis program, and a very successful early childhood education program. All three programs are administered by the former school Principal, Ms. Maria Gaudelli. The building is also used for CYO programs, assemblies, and special parish functions. Under Ms. Gaudelli’s able direction the Lower church temporarily used for services during renovations of 2006 Parish Center maintains a high utilization rate providing essential parish services. 26 Monsignor McAree made certain modifications to the church itself. This involved bringing the place of reservation back into the sanctuary, restoring the baptismal font location to the front of the sanctuary, upgrading lighting and electrical systems, and cleaning the ceilings, walls, and floors of the church interior.

Under Monsignor McAree’s guidance, a Capital Campaign was developed with the cooperation of the Parish Council. The Capital Campaign of 2003–2006 was called “Rebuilding St. Gregory’s Together.” The campaign’s goal was primarily to renew the church interior and to make necessary capital improvement to the parish’s physical plant. Parishioners once again responded with great generosity by raising sufficient funds to perform the most urgent repairs and upgrades, even providing a sufficient surplus to establish a contingency fund for future repairs and renovations. The renovations and restoration of the Church’s interior were completed in 2006.

Upper church interior renovations, 2006 27 Dedication Ceremony for St. Gregory’s School, 1953